East Austin Studio Tour Exposes Matchless Artistry on Eastside

I was at a house party in East Austin last week, and one of my friends told me, “I’ve never been this far east before!”

I’m not surprised. Years ago when I was at UT, the common recommendation was to stay away from the eastside. The area was old and “not safe.”

These descriptions still apply to parts of Austin’s eastside, but those who venture under I-35 to previously unexplored territory are surprised by what they find. Good food, unique local businesses, nightlife and a vibrant art community are right on our doorstep, with a flavor all their own.

One of the best representations of the underrated beauty of the eastside was displayed over the past two weekends, during East Austin Studio Tour (E.A.S.T.). Now in its 11th year, E.A.S.T. offers Austinites the unique opportunity to explore nearly 200 art studios across East Austin. These 200 studios house somewhere around 450 artists, along with their stunning and diverse collection of artwork.

If anyone managed to visit every E.A.S.T. studio during the event, I would be shocked. Eric and I made one afternoon of it, and saw all of two locations. Nonetheless, I want to share a taste of what we found. My hope is that you’ll step out of your comfort zone and take a quick drive east next time you’re in need of inspiration, by way of artwork or handcrafted products.

The Artpost: 4704 E. Cesar Chavez

Business: Kong Screen Printing

Proprietor: Bruce Braden and Ryan Burkhart

Specialty: Apparel design and screen printing

Claim to fame: Remember the “Welcome to Austin…Please Don’t Move Here” t-shirt that was huge during SXSW 2012? Yeah, that was Kong.

Claim to fame: Where do we start? Sam Coronado co-founded the Mexic-Arte Museum on Congress and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Austin Visual Arts Association on November 15, 2012. Sam also founded the Serie Project, a non-profit that allows international artists to come to Austin, be mentored under a Master Printer, and have their work marketed.

(Note: Brian Phillips’ work was displayed on Bolm Rd. for the purposes of E.A.S.T. You can always find him on his website!)

Business: Noah MarionQuality Goods

Proprietor: Noah Marion

Specialty: Leather products

Claim to fame: Noah Marion once custom-designed a belt for Ryan Burkhart of Kong Screen Printing! (Also, Noah Marion Quality Goods products are featured by numerous retailers, both locally and internationally.)

What I Take Away from the East Austin Studio Tour

Our culture in Austin is immeasurably enriched by the artistic talent within our city limits. I beg you: stay away from corporate chains when you can purchase one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted items from Austin artisans.

Thank you to the organizers behind the East Austin Studio Tour, especially its sponsor Big Medium, for 11 years in our community.

Who did I miss? Leave a comment and let me know about your E.A.S.T. 2012 highlights.

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THANKS AUSTINOT!!! It was great meeting you guys. Thanks for swinging by Revival Cycles. We hope you had a great time! Someone asked about the piece behind me in the photo, so here’s a small shot of it. “Big Daddy” – Salvaged items.

http://www.austinot.com/ Brittany Highland

Thanks for including the picture, @b7a0f334ec41b2c6096588c07301f325:disqus!

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